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Gasturbine · 08-13-2012, 01:02 PM

Is there something I can substitute for the ABV "Booster" that comes with Mr. Beer recipes?

ludomonster · 08-13-2012, 01:12 PM

You can use DME.

**MalFet** · 08-13-2012, 01:13 PM

Sure. You can add more malt extract, or even just some table sugar. The table sugar will dry the beer out a bit.

Gasturbine · 08-13-2012, 02:01 PM

My West Coast Pale Ale batches are coming out at about 2% ABV...I would like to increase that by at least 2 more.

I make 2 gallon batches...how much DME or sugar should I add?

Thanks!

**MalFet** · 08-13-2012, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasturbine

My West Coast Pale Ale batches are coming out at about 2% ABV...I would like to increase that by at least 2 more.

I make 2 gallon batches...how much DME or sugar should I add?

Thanks!

2% ABV? That doesn't sound right.

How are you arriving at that figure? What's your recipe?

Gasturbine · 08-13-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalFet

2% ABV? That doesn't sound right.How are you arriving at that figure?

Hydrometer.

Quote:

What's your recipe?

It was the Mr. Beer West Coast Pale Ale, that comes with the kit. It had the "booster" pack, which I used. Could some of my yeast been dead?

Personally, I wouldnt care about ABV, but some of my friends/family commented on it. (read "younger" friends/family)

**Raenon** · 08-13-2012, 02:55 PM

That still doesn't sound right.

How big a batch did you do? What did you include in your recipe?

How long did you let it ferment?
What were your starting and ending gravities?

Sorry for the 3rd degree, but if you did a Mr. Beer kit and only got 2% ABV, something went horribly wrong. It's best to figure it out now and fix it before you do another batch.

**MalFet** · 08-13-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasturbine

Hydrometer.

What was your OG and what was your FG?

Gasturbine · 08-13-2012, 06:15 PM

Im not sure what OG and FG is, but I just looked at the ABV scale on the hydrometer. The beer tasted fine to me...in fact, great...and while all of my friends agreed, those who drank 3 or 4 said they felt very little "buzz".

The beer is all gone now, it was 2 gallons, and I let it ferment for two weeks. It was carbonated perfectly, and was as clear as it was golden.

I got my hydrometer at a yard sale after I had started brewing, so I only had the one reading.

My second batch is already in bottles.

Im a newbie, so go easy on me.

***Yooper*** · 08-13-2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasturbine

Im not sure what OG and FG is, but I just looked at the ABV scale on the hydrometer. The beer tasted fine to me...in fact, great...and while all of my friends agreed, those who drank 3 or 4 said they felt very little "buzz".

The beer is all gone now, it was 2 gallons, and I let it ferment for two weeks. It was carbonated perfectly, and was as clear as it was golden.

I got my hydrometer at a yard sale after I had started brewing, so I only had the one reading.

My second batch is already in bottles.

Im a newbie, so go easy on me.

Your hydrometer has another scale on it, called the "specific gravity" scale. The other scale you were looking at is the "potential alcohol" scale. I think you made a mistake in reading your hydrometer.

The West Coast Pale Ale with Booster recipe should give you significantly higher ABV than 2%. If the fermentation ended at 2% on the potential alcohol scale, that doesn't mean it's 2% alcohol- it means that it ended at about 1.008. Turn your hydrometer to see what I mean.

Without knowing where you started, you can't calculate ABV from that. But if you remember how many pounds of extract you used, and how much booster, we could calculate the probably OG (original gravity) and give you the approximate ABV. It's probably around 5% ABV or so.